PreprintarXiv licencearXiv
Impact of cosmic evolution on the gravitational wave spectrum from cosmic strings
Abstract
In the standard cosmological paradigm, the gravitational wave (GW) spectrum from a cosmic string network is well defined. However, early-Universe dynamics can significantly alter this relic signal. We systematically investigate how different new physics epochs in the radiation era--including extra relativistic degrees of freedom, early matter domination, intermediate vacuum domination, and kination--modify string network evolution and loop production. We find that a kination era enhances the stochastic GW signal, whereas the other scenarios suppress the signal to varying degrees. We also demonstrate that late-time dynamical dark energy has a negligible impact on the GW spectrum from cosmic strings.
Related
- Gravitational Waves and Nambu-Goldstone Bosons from Infrared-Finite Cosmic Strings
- Gravitational Wave Background from Metastable Current-Carrying Cosmic Strings
- Detection of cosmic strings by gravitational wave lensing. Predictions for Einstein Telescope
- Interpretation of Nanohertz Gravitational Waves via Cosmic Strings in Post-BBN Matter and Kination Domination
- Evolution of Cosmic String Loops under Gravitational Backreaction
BibTeX
@misc{hu2026impact,
title = {{Impact of cosmic evolution on the gravitational wave spectrum from cosmic strings}},
author = {Xi-He Hu and Danny Marfatia and Ye-Ling Zhou},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.26652},
eprint = {2610.26652},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.26652},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Impact of cosmic evolution on the gravitational wave spectrum from cosmic strings
AU - Xi-He Hu
AU - Danny Marfatia
AU - Ye-Ling Zhou
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.26652
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.26652
AB - In the standard cosmological paradigm, the gravitational wave (GW) spectrum from a cosmic string network is well defined. However, early-Universe dynamics can significantly alter this relic signal. We systematically investigate how different new physics epochs in the radiation era--including extra relativistic degrees of freedom, early matter domination, intermediate vacuum domination, and kination--modify string network evolution and loop production. We find that a kination era enhances the stochastic GW signal, whereas the other scenarios suppress the signal to varying degrees. We also demonstrate that late-time dynamical dark energy has a negligible impact on the GW spectrum from cosmic strings.
ER -